1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of charging circuits for internal combustion engines and more specifically to the area of load control of engines during start up.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been found that on smaller internal combustion engines (four or less cylinders) an initial problem exists during start-up when the engine is cold. During initial ignition, an electrical start motor is energized from a power source, such as a battery, and is mechanically engaged to start the engine. Once the engine is started, the starter motor is disengaged and the engine enters a transition phase wherein it increases its running speed to a preset idle speed. The alternator, which is mechanically connected to the engine, is synchronously driven therewith and provides an output current that is used to recharge the battery and to supply current to other electrical loads that are turned on. The battery is normally at its lowest charge level immediately after start-up of the engine. Accordingly, heavy current is supplied by the alternator to charge the battery during the transition phase. In many instances, the heavy loading by the alternator during the transition phase causes the engine to be overloaded and stalling results. The most common means of preventing such stalling is to increase the fuel/air mixture to the engine; this results in increased fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.